rotation

noun

ro·​ta·​tion rō-ˈtā-shən How to pronounce rotation (audio)
1
a(1)
: the action or process of rotating on or as if on an axis or center
(2)
: the act or an instance of rotating something
b
: one complete turn : the angular displacement required to return a rotating body or figure to its original orientation
2
a
: return or succession in a series
rotation of the seasons
3
: the turning of a body part about its long axis as if on a pivot
4
: a game of pool in which all 15 object balls are shot in numerical order
5
: the series of pitchers on a baseball team who regularly start successive games in turn
rotational
rō-ˈtā-shnəl How to pronounce rotation (audio)
-shə-nᵊl
adjective

Examples of rotation in a Sentence

the rotation of the Earth around its axis the rotation of the Moon around the Earth The Earth makes one rotation every day. Alfalfa and corn are planted in rotation. the rotation of the job of club president The car needs a tire rotation.
Recent Examples on the Web There’s no doubt the pickup of Cease lengthens and emboldens the rotation. Bryce Miller, San Diego Union-Tribune, 18 Mar. 2024 Meanwhile, Saturday was a rough day for two A’s pitchers battling for the fifth spot in the rotation. Jon Becker, The Mercury News, 17 Mar. 2024 Second-year wing Cam Reddish was in the rotation in light of Reddish’s absence. Khobi Price, Orange County Register, 11 Mar. 2024 The movement of the shadow across the land happens as the Earth's rotation interacts with the orbit of the moon. Elizabeth Weise, USA TODAY, 10 Mar. 2024 Its rotation isn’t a sprint or a crawl but a deliberate and patient stride. Larisha Paul, Rolling Stone, 9 Mar. 2024 The Heat’s bench rotation against the Mavericks included Jaime Jaquez Jr., Martin, Haywood Highsmith and Thomas Bryant. Mills, 35, received a DNP-CD (did not play, coach’s decision) in his first game with the Heat after signing a minimum contract for the rest of the season earlier this week. Anthony Chiang, Miami Herald, 8 Mar. 2024 The marines, who usually carry out a 90-day deployment on the ship, are sometimes rotated out during the resupply missions at sea – with a successful rotation carried out on Tuesday, said Tarriela. Rebecca Wright, CNN, 6 Mar. 2024 Emmet Sheehan, who went 4-1 with a 4.92 ERA in 13 games as a rookie last season, has been slowed by a sore shoulder and won’t pitch in Cactus League games, opening the door for Gavin Stone or Ryan Yarbrough to win rotation spots. Mike Digiovanna, Los Angeles Times, 6 Mar. 2024

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'rotation.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

First Known Use

circa 1550, in the meaning defined at sense 1a(1)

Time Traveler
The first known use of rotation was circa 1550

Dictionary Entries Near rotation

Cite this Entry

“Rotation.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/rotation. Accessed 29 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

rotation

noun
ro·​ta·​tion rō-ˈtā-shən How to pronounce rotation (audio)
1
a
: the act of rotating especially on an axis
b
: one complete turn
2
rotational
-shnəl How to pronounce rotation (audio)
-shən-ᵊl
adjective

Medical Definition

rotation

noun
ro·​ta·​tion rō-ˈtā-shən How to pronounce rotation (audio)
: the action or process of rotating on or as if on an axis or center
specifically : the turning of a body part about its long axis as if on a pivot
rotation of the head to look over the shoulder
rotational adjective

More from Merriam-Webster on rotation

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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